“But the Doctor is surrounded by enemies, sir, and hard pushed; every hour will be like so much suffering to him till he is relieved.”
“To-morrow night, my lad, is the very earliest time we can be ready. The men could set out at once, but we must have store waggons prepared, and a sufficiency of things to enable the Doctor to hold his own when these savage beasts have been tamed down. They do not deserve to be called men.”
“But you will lose no time, sir?” cried Bart.
“Not a minute, my lad; and so you had better eat and sleep all you can till we are quite ready to start.”
“But you will not let them go without me, sir?” cried Bart imploringly.
“Not likely, my lad, that I should send my men out into the desert without a guide. There! I think he may get up, Doctor, eh?”
“Get up! yes,” said the Doctor, laughing. “He has a constitution like a horse. Feed well and sleep well, my lad, and lie down a good deal in one of the waggons on your way back.”
“Oh, no, sir, I must ride.”
“No, my lad, you must do as the Doctor advises you,” said the governor, sternly. “Besides, your horse will want all the rest it can have after so terrible a ride as you seem to have had.”
“Yes, sir,” said Bart, who saw how much reason there was in the advice, “I will do what you wish.”